The reveal of Zoe and Max's relationship
by krystal.morecroft
Summary: Zoe and Max are not worried about the others at the hospital finding out that they have been having been seeing one and another, but an event happens at work, that changes this and puts one of they in grave danger.
1. Chapter 1

Zoe and Max- The reveal of their relationship- Chapter one.

The phone rings in the ED that Rita answers and upon answering it hands the phone to Doctor Hannah who quickly answers the other person on the phone and puts it swiftly down.

"Rita, is Mr Hanting still in resus?"

"Yeah, why?"

"We've got two cat c patients coming in, one has more server injuries than the other after one of the prisoners attacked the other. This is the last thing the other patients need, so let's try to keep them as calm as possible and that means keeping them apart."

"Of course"

Rita answers as she walks away from Zoe

"Connie, two prisoners coming in. One with lacerations to his body and possible broken bones and the other with broken bones and possible internal injuries."

"Okay, I'll take the worse of the two."

Walking off in the other direction, as Max walks towards her carrying two take away cups of coffee and hands one of them to her.

"What's up with her?"

"Who?"

"Mrs Beauchamp, oh never mind. "

In a hushed voice he continues talking to Zoe.

"So I through that it might be nice to spend some time together. So I booked us a table at that new restaurant that's just opened up, that you wanted to go to."

"Max, that place is meant to cost a fortune. You can't keep spending your money on me."

"You're worth it, anyway tonight eight o'clock. I'll see you there."

A smile encapsulates her face as she watches Max walk away from her, and as much as she protested to him spending his money, as he wouldn't have her paying the bill when he was taking her out. The prospect of them spending the night together out weighted her guilt.

"This is Mr Haxston, he attacked another prisoner. BP is stable, he's just in a lot of pain."

Wheeling him into resus and aligning his bed up to the other one.

"On three, one, two, three"

"Thank you everyone, okay I'll take it from here Doctor Hannah. Mr Haxston I'm Mr Beauchamp…"

Zoe walks out of resus to see the other patient being wheeled in who had been assigned to her.

"Okay, Mr…. Mr Hutch, I'm Zoe Hannah and I'll be treating you today."

Zoe then proceeds to look at the damage that the blade have made to his face and body.

"Okay, so how is the pain…. Okay we'll get you some gas and air but you were lucky it could have been much worse. The blade has narrowly missed your eye. Right so what we'll do is stitch the wounds up and then take you up to x-ray to see how those ribs are yours."

Cleaning the area around then, she then proceeds to stitch the lacerations on his face and once this is done. She walks away to book an x-ray to see how bad the brake is to his ribs. After calling ahead. She heads outside. Where she sees Max, smiling at him, but he sees through it.

"That bad?"

"No, just one of those days, I guess."

"Maybe, I can make it better"

As he moves forward to kiss her. Upon doing this she stands up and pulls him with her so that they are more concealed, from prying eyes and once she pushes him against the wall she passionately kisses him. Pulling away from one and other to breath they look at each other and smile. Zoe walks away but continues looking at him.

"Come on"

Grabbing her hand and leading her forward, she pulls her hand away but follows quickly behind. He leads her towards their cupboard and to the world they look like, a doctor and porter walking along without touching or talking, but upon entering the cupboard they lock the door and are upon each other all over again. Quickly the pair undress each other, and the pair proceed to make love.

Quickly getting dressed.

"That shouldn't have happened"

"Well it did, and it's not like it's the first time or like you regret it really"

"Shut up"

Kissing him.

"Oh yeah, I need a porter"

"Oh yeah"

"Yeah, I need you to take my patient to x-ray for me"

Saluting her,

"Yes madam"

Rolling her eyes she tells him to wait for a few minutes before following her out, checking the coast was clear and leaving the cupboard. She walks into the room to check on her patient, when she hears the door open.

"Max…"

But before she can finish her sentence a knife is placed upon her throat.

"Now listen her sweetheart, you're going to do me a little favour, now there's no point trying to fight I've got you nice and tight. Okay so what you're going to do is get me clothing. Yeah, yeah"

"Okay so who needs my help going to x-ray?"

Entering the room and seeing the scene he calls out for help, and the police quickly run in who had left the room to get coffee.

"Now listen here mate I don't know what you what from her, but she's not going to be able to help you like that is she."

He says this as he slowly moves towards her. The prisoner begins to move the knife away from her neck, but she is still in danger. As Max takes another step towards the prisoner, he realises what Max is doing, and points the knife and him upon him doing his he grabs the prisoners arm and Zoe and away from him who quickly moves away as Max and the Prisoner get into a scuffle. All of a sudden Max doubles over in pain and once Max falls away from the prisoner, the police grab him by either arm, and the restrain him. As the prisoner doesn't pose a threat the knife is in Max.

"Max, Max"

"I'm okay"

But he has already begun to lose colour and consciousness. Shouting out to the other but refusing to leave him, they rush in to see Zoe holding Max with a knife in him. They quickly move him onto a bed and begin to try and save his life.

"he, he needs"

"Zoe it's find we've got this, you should go and get checked out"

Dylan tells her.

"I'm fine, I'll stop here, I wasn't hurt, I'm fine"

"Okay, it looks like the blade has caught the stomach and he's bleeding out"

Everything after this statement becomes a blur, he has to go into surgery. To stop the internal bleeding. Zoe's told to go home by Dylan, who understands, but she says she wants to stay and tells her to go wait in the relative room, and that it might be a good idea to phone his next kin.

Zoe then realises that she needs to tell Robin and Lofty and she didn't know who in his family hopefully, Robin would know who to call.

When she tells Robin she reacts the way in which she's feelings on the inside. Consoling her she takes her to the relative room where she phones Lofty and his family, who quickly turn up. Robin says that Zoe doesn't need to stay that she will be okay.

"Of, course"

Getting up and walking out of the room she walks into Dylan who is walking into the room, and he tells them all that Max is in a stable but critical position, Zoe knew better than anyone what that meant, and without thinking she begins to walk and then run to where Max is. Running into the room every member of staff stares at her and continues but she doesn't think about them for once as she begins to talk to him. The words pour out of her mouth of what he means to her and that she's sorry for ever letting him go in the first place and that she was never going to let him go again.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is that, well , what I've never said to you, Max, I love you"

A wheezy breathe comes out of him, in the time she has been going off she hadn't realised that he had begun to regain consciousness.

"i-i—I , llllove, you , too"

Hearing this she carefully places her hands on either side of his face and kisses him, and again promises to never let him go. Standing up properly, she looks around to see Max's family standing at the door, with Robin and Lofty standing with their mouths wide, but not just them the staff who had seen her running to him were also starring at her.

"I think we should give these two a minute"

Is all that anyone can say as they leave Max and Zoe alone before they have to answer the many questions, from friends.


	2. Chapter 2

After everyone leaves them to just be with one and other. Max quickly falls to sleep holding Zoe's hand, but despite the fact that she knows that she needs to go, so that she doesn't disturb him while he's asleep, she can't bring herself to let go of his hand. All that she can think is that if she lets go she might lose him forever.

After sitting holding his hand for half an hour, slowly and carefully she removes her hand from his, knowing that she needs to deal with everyone, that the last thing that Max needs when he wakes up are all the question that were to come. She rise's to her feet but before she leaves the room she carefully and places a kiss on him.

"I love you, you know that right."

Sighing she walks out of resus feeling like the whole world is on her shoulders, the moment that she left Max. Walking out of resus she sees Connie, knowing full well that she will have questions of her own she walks towards her.

"Ah, Zoe I was just on my way to find you, walk with me."

The pair walk in stride with one and other.

"Zoe I thought that I should be the first one to tell you this, there is a rumour that is running around the E.D that I thought you should be aware of…"

"Connie"

"The rumour is that you and the Porter, Max. Have been having a physical relationship, now if I was you I would want to put an end to the vicious rumour, I wouldn't let it be said that a Doctor of your leave is stooping to that kind of level."

Zoe raises her voice this time, to get her attention.

"Connie, it's true"

"Oh."

Continuing she mocks Connie with a smile on her face.

"Yeah, and now I need to go deal with the consequences of "me stooping to that kind of level"

Walking away from Connie she began to feel some of the weight lifting off of herself, she never through that telling Connie about her and Max seeing one and other, would be so invigorating.

She walks back to where all of her colleges and the people that she calls friends are, to answer their questions. As she walks into the room she's surprised as Charlie offers her a hug which she quickly takes up. Letting go of Charlie after a few second he holds her and says the words that shock her.

"I didn't realise that you and Max had got back together."

"What"

"I mean I knew that you were seeing each other before you left."

"Was it that obvious, did everyone already know?"

"No, I think I was the only one who had any kind of idea of what was going on. I saw the way that you were with one and other and I put two and two together. It's going to be okay Zoe. Max will be okay you just need to be there to support him, and don't worry about anyone else."

"Thanks Charlie"

"Come on, it's time to face your adoring public."

For the first time since Max has been stabbed, Zoe's face filled with a half-smile. As Zoe looked at Charlie, she realised that his words had filled her with more comfort then she ever would have thought possible considering the events of the day. As she walks along with Charlie, Cal strides towards them with strong and comfortable steps, Zoe returns the smile which he sends her way, but as he passes he quickly comments.

"You've done well, haven't you?"

As he says this he turns and walks backwards through the doors and winks at Zoe. He says nothing else as he turns around the right way and walks away.

"Well, that went well"

Charlie and Zoe look at one and other and smile knowing that the words are not one of judgement from Cal, but ones of almost admiration. Which made Zoe smiling knowing that some of the department thought of her and Cal to be in the same league, that was something to behold.

Walking towards her colleagues Ethan, Lilly, Dylan, Louise, Noel and last of all Tess, who were all carrying on with their day. As she walks towards them, the only ones that carry on with what they are meant to be doing , is Lily and Ethan as with those two the last thing that they care about is who is seeing who or if they do they don't let it distract them from what they should be doing. Which is proven to her when they walk past her without saying a word, or any kind of look sent her way.

Noel is the first one to say anything to her out of everyone in the room.

"So your Max's mystery woman. Not your usual sort is he?"

At this moment Louise elbows him in the side for the last careless comment, and her face fills with scorn as he looks over at her.

"Well, I think that you make a lovely couple, I can see why you kept it quiet through with these gossiping old women."

Zoe raises an eyebrow at this comment as she thinks that Louise is normal one of the "Gossiping old women" but she carries on without a trace of mockery in her voice.

"Thanks Louise"

Tess steps forward at this moment. With a fierce look on her face.

"Can I have a private word with you Zoe"

Without saying another word Tess turns and walks towards the staff room which is empty. Zoe walks in and closes the door behind her and turns with a sceptical look towards Tess.

"Thanks Tess for getting me away from that, you'd have thought that I had done something majorly wrong with how everyone is reacting. "

"What you think you haven't?"

"What are you saying Tess?"

"I'm saying that you have been reckless, and that you are jeopardising the reputation of the hospital. I mean how is it going to look to the patients when they find out, because they will. I mean Max of all people, he's not what you would call discrete. "

"Hold it right there, first of all it has nothing to do with the hospital who I chose to see and as long as it does not affect my working life it does not jeopardising the hospital, and how would you know what Max is like. Do you even know him outside of the hospital? And anyway who are you to lecture me on who I should or shouldn't see, Max isn't married or has kids, we're both free agents, I mean you can't say that about Fletch can you?"

"That was completely different"

"Yeah you're right it was, that relationship hurt everyone involved in it. Me and Max we're not hurting anyone. I don't have to listen to this."

Walking away from Tess when she reaches the door she turns and looks at Tess.

"Tess, keep your opinions to yourself, it will be the last thing that Max needs."

Walking out of the room she sees Dyaln standing there clearly waiting to see if she was okay but he would never admit it, she thought to herself.

"Hey I just wanted to know if you were coming home for tea."

"No, I need to go talk to Max's family and then I'm going to sit in with him for a bit longer."

"Okay, take care of yourself"

He tells her as he walks away.

Taking a deep breathe she walks towards the relatives room, not knowing how Robyn was going to react to all of this.


End file.
